Thoracic radiology: the past 50 years.

The radiology of 50 years ago was a primitive science compared with the radiology of today. Hospital departments were small and radiologists few in number. Night call was uncommon. Examinations consisted primarily of radiographs of the chest, bones, and gastrointestinal tract, although some early neuroradiologic studies were performed. Chest fluoroscopy was common. Film processing was done manually, often with poor results. Radiographic examinations of the chest were likewise unsophisticated by today's standards. Chest radiographs were made with low-kilovoltage, calcium tungstate phosphors and relatively large focal spots. There were no image intensifiers, nuclear medicine studies, ultrasonography, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance studies. How far we have come!